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NT Bureau
Chidambaram, Jan 3:
 

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh along with the dignitaries, including Governor Surjit Singh Barnala, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Kabil Sibal, MP and chancellor of Annamalai University M A M Ramaswamy, at the inauguration of the Indian Science Congress at Chidambaram today.

        Setting the tone for the 94th Indian Science Congress, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said here today that it was essential 'to attract the best and the brightest of our scientists working abroad to build a knowledge based economy in India.'

        Addressing the convention, Dr Singh said the global Indian diaspora was a vast pool of knowledge that should be tapped especially in the basic sciences. 'Many bright young Indian scientists working abroad in advances fields of research wish to come home. We must fully exploit the potential of this 'reverse brain drain,' the Prime Minister said.

        To facilitate this, it was essential to bring a change in the national employment and remuneration systems added with a change of mindset so as to be 'more open to draw on these and other global resources in promoting science and technology development at home.'

        Expressing concern about the declining enrollment in schools and colleges in basic sciences, the Prime Minister said teaching science and mathematics should be made interesting for young people.

        Of equal concern is the decline in the standards of research work in educational institutions, Dr Singh said the university system needed upgrading, enabling it to become the hub of good quality science.

        'Only when students see prospects of early reward will they be induced to tread the often lonely trail of advanced research,' Manmohan said on making scientific research an attractive career option. Economic incentives and rewards should be oriented to attract students towards a career in science.

        Chidambaram, home to cosmic dancer Lord Nataraja has contextual reference to theme of the meet 'Planet Earth.' Of the many challenges the planet is facing, the availability of water, food and energy are vital to the survival of life on earth.

        Ways should be found for ecologically sustainable ways of using, conserving and replenishing water. Focus should be on dry land and rain fed agriculture besides finding alternative sources of energy supply, he said.

        'Bio fuel, solar, photo voltaic, nuclear and other sources which do not burden the conventional sources of energy supply is needed. Efforts should be made to conserve energy and scientists and engineers could contribute to the development of energy conservation technologies,' the Prime Minister pointed out.

        There is also an urgent need to upgrade the weather forecasting system which could provide benefits for crop prediction and crop insurance systems.

        'I believe we must draw on the wealth of traditional knowledge in dealing with the challenges faced by our planet,' the Prime Minister said emphasisng a high priority for protection of essential life support systems of earth in development processes. He said the task ahead was to evolve a development path that accelerates the wealth creation processes on a sustainable basis.

        Governor Surjit Singh Barnala, Union Minister Kapil Sibal, Science Congress President, Dr Harsh Gupta, Pro-Chancellor of Annamalai University, Dr.M.A.M Ramaswamy were present.